Display package



Jan. 7, 1964 Y R. H. THoMAs DISPLAY PACKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 23, 1961 FIGZ.

FIGLI.

Jan. 7, 1964 R. H. THOMAS 3,116,825

DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed March 25, 1961 5 Sheelzs--Shee"l'l 2 R. H. THOMAS DISPLAY PACKAGE Jan. l7, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1961 Il I I Vl I7 l Il l lll im F IGS.

United States Patent 3,116,825 DlSlLAY PACKAGE Ralph ll. Thomas, Clark, NJ., assigner to Bristol-Myers Company, New York, Nfi., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 97,846 4 Claims. (Cl. 26d-45.1%

This invention relates to a display carton and associated parts for packaging a product in such a way as to present the product in a very attractive way to the eyes of a prospective purchaser, when the carton is placed on a shelf or a counter or in a display window.

.A primary purpose of the invention has been to provide a carton and associated parts, of the foregoing character, which are of simple construction, economical to produce and easy to assemble with the product to be packaged and displayed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the package or container is formed of four separate components, three of which may be readily cut or stamped from any suitable sheet material such as cardboard. rlhe fourth component is preferably formed of a suitable transparent and relatively rigid plastic and shaped to receive and retain the product to be packaged.

One of the three lirst mentioned components provides an outer container suitably formed and shaped to enable ready folding of various parts to substantially enclose and retain a particular product, in the general manner of a cardboard carton, but with one wall of the carton open to expose the product to view. The specified wall of the carton is provided with flaps or panel sections which may be readily folded inwardly along lines adjacent the edges of said wall and are arranged to extend inwardly at an acute angle toward the opposite wall of the carton. These flaps or panel sections are adapted to have their free inner edges forced inwardly along the sides of the article to be retained and then held resiliently against the rear portions of such sides.

A second component of the container comprises a member, in the nature of a slide, formed of cardboard or the like, having its mid-portion adapted to be retained adjacent the rear wall of the carton member and parallel therewith. This component is provided with readily foldable sections at the upper and lower ends of the midportion and these sections are adapted to provide top and bottom panels which slope upwardly and downwardly, respectively, from the rear of the retained article toward the front wall of the carton, with end sections, at the outer ends of the sloping panels disposed against the inner surface of the front wall of the carton. An opening of suitable size may be provided in the central region of the mid-portion of the second component to enable the article or product to be packaged and displayed to be passed through the same for retention by said component. lf desired, other means may be provided for retaining the product in proper position on the slide, and the opening in the latter may be omitted.

The third component of the container comprises simply a llat card adapted to close the rearward face of the transparent fourth component mentioned, and thus retain the product within the latter. Preferably the fourth cornponent is in the form of a hollow body member appropriately shaped to receive and retain the product to be packaged. It is open at its rear face to enable insertion of the product, and it is provided with outwardly extending flanges in the plane of said rear face. The flanges at the two sides of the member have extensions which are bent to provide channels for the slidable reception of the third component mentioned.

When assembled, the various components of the package, having the desired product enclosed within the fourth component, serve to display the product at the front of llti Patented dan. 7, i364 ICC the first component with an attractive display window effect. The window has four surfaces which extend inwardly at an acute angle from the vertical and horizontal edges of the opening in the front wall of the first component, these surfaces being inclined inwardly toward the rear of the article or product contained within the package to form a passage which converges from a relatively large cross-section at the front to a smaller crosssection at the rear. The various sloping portions of the rst and second components of the package, which provide the converging surfaces mentioned, serve to retain the article or product in the desired central position and give to it a particularly attractive display.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the same which will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective View of the display carton with its contained product, as the same would appear standing on a counter or shelf;

FiG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the carton in opened condition with the product carrying slide member disposed above the carton and ready for insertion;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of an article or product which may suitably be carried by the slide of FIG. 2 and displayed in the manner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the article shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the product as seen from the rear of FIG. 3, with a closure member shown in a position ready for application to the retaining means for the product; v

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional View through the package, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional View taken through the package along the broken line 77 of FIG. 6;

FG. 8 is a plan view of a at, sheet-like member which may be folded to form the carton means of the package; and

FIG. 9 is a plan View of a at, sheet-like member which may be folded to form the slide means or member of the package.

For purposes of illustration the invention has been shown as applied to the packaging of a product contained in an aerosol type of dispenser and suitable for use in spraying the throat, or the like. It will, of course, be understood that the invention may be employed for the packaging of a wide variety of products which may be effectively displayed to the purchasing public, while packaged within the carton forming means.

As best shown in FIG. 8, the carton itself may suitably be formed of cardboard, or the like, stamped into a liat blank 1@ of the particular form shown, with suitable score lines to facilitate folding or bending of certain portions. The article or product carrying slide 11 (FIG, 9) may similarly be formed of cardboard and stamped and scored, for folding or bending purposes, into the form shown. In FIG. 3 there is designated as 12. the article or product to be packaged and displayed within the carton, together with the enclosing or retaining means for the product. The member 12 may be suitably mounted upon the slide 11 for exposure of the product to view through an opening in the front wall of the carton.

Turning now to the carton, this, as shown in FIG. 8, is preferably of integral construction and is provided with panels providing a front wall 13, side walls 14 and 1S and a rear wall 16. These four panels may be folded or bent through an angle of in relation to the next adjacent panel to provide an enclosure of rectangular cross-section. Panel lo may be provided with a foldable tab extension 2l which, in the relative bending or folding of the various panels, may be pressed against the inner aliases surface of the panel Us to retain the four panels in their folded positions. re upper surface (FIG. 8) of the tab 21 may be provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive, or have a suitable adhesive applied thereto, to retain the four panels in their folded relation. The bottom of the carton may be permanently closed when the blank of which it is formed is folded, and may comprise tabs i7 and ig extending downwardly from the side panels i4 and l5 adapted to be folded to extend toward each other above the top of a bottom panel 19 connected with the rear panel 16. Another bottom panel 20, ccnnected with the front panel i3 of the carton, is adapted to be folded under the panel i9 and secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by the provision of a pressure sensitive adhesive on the underface of the panel 2t) which is pressed against the exposed face of the panel i9. At the upper ends of the panels 14 and 15 there are provided, respectively, tabs 22 and 23 which may be folded inwardly over the top of the slide means or member and the product, after these have been inserted in the carton. A panel 24, extending upwardly from the front panel 13 of the carton, may then be folded over the tops of the tabs 22 and 23 and it is provided with a tab 25 which may then be inserted between the inner surface of the back panel 16 and the edges of the tabs 22 and 23. The carton will in this way be retained in its closed condition. Adjacent the center of the front panel i3 there is provided a pair of tabs or panel sections 26 and 27 adapted to be folded inwardly from the adjacent edges of the side panels 14 and l5, after the product has been inserted in the carton.

Referring now to FIG. 9, the slide member 11 comprises a central portion 2S which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is provided with a central opening 29 of suitable configuration conforming with the outer contour of the article to be packaged and displayed. As illustrated, the opening may be of rectangular form if the article to be packaged has the contour of that shown in FG. 3. At the lower end of the slide 1li (the right end in FiG. 9) there is connected with the central portion 23, along a suitable fold line, a panel section 30 having at its outer end a tab member 31 adapted to be disposed at a suitable angle by folding along the score line indicated in broken lines. Similarly, at the upper end of the slide (the left end as shown in FIG. 9) there is provided a panel section 32 having a tab member 33, these being foldable along the score lines, indicated in broken lines, to dispose these parts at a suitable angle in relation to each other and to the central portion 2S of the slide and cooperating portions of the carton. As best shown in FIG. 6, the

section 3@ of the slide, when the package is fully assembled, is inclined downwardly at an appropriate angle from the rear wall of the carton toward the front Wall thereof with the tab 31 lying flat against the lower portion of the front wall 13 of the carton. Similarly, the section 32 is inclined upwardly at an appropriate angle from the rear wall 16 of the carton to the front wall and it has its tab portion 33 held flat against the inner surface of the front wall 13 of the carton.

As best shown in FlGS. 3, 4 and 5, the article to be packaged, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, comprises a substantially cylindrical container 34 having -a cap 35 the top of which has a diametrically extending portion 36 which swively carries a tube 37 through which the contents of the container 34 may be discharged into the throat, or the like. To enclose and protect the packaged article, the latter is preferably enclosed within a transparent retainer 38, which may suitably be formed of a relatively stiff transparent plastic material. The retainer 3S may be open on its rear, unexposed side, as the article is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6r. This is to facilitate introduction of the article into the retainer. However, suitable closure means is preferably provided for this opening. For such purposes the retainer may have a laterally extending flange 38a surrounding the rear, open end thereof, and portions of the flange at op- F posite sides of the article receiving opening may be folded inwardly as indicated at 39 and 4t? to provide channels for the reception of a closure member 41. The latter may be formed of any suitable material, such as cardboard, and is adapted to be slidably inserted in and retained by the channels mentioned. By appropriate shaping of the retaining member 3S and positioning of the closure member 4l, the article may be quite firmly retained in a definite position within the member 38. When so assembled, the article with its retainer may be passed through the opening 29 in the slide 11 to assume the position shown in FIG. 2. The slide may then be lowered into the folded carton 10, having its upper end opened, to cause the slide to assume the position shown in FIGS. l and 6. With the carton and slide so assembled, the carton may be closed and the tabs or panel sections 26 and 27 may be pressed inwardly until their inner edges snap into the positions best shown in FIGS. l and 7. It will be understood that the tabs or panel sections 26 and 27 are sufliciently flexible to enable them to be forced inwardly into the position indicated, in which the inner edges of these sections are resiliently held against the inner ends of the article retainer 33 and against the portion 23 of the slide 11.

When the package is completely assembled in the manner described, the article or product will be posi tioned centrally Within a space having converging top and bottom walls formed by the panel sections 32 and 30, and converging side walls formed by the panel sections 26 and 27, in the manner shown in FIG. 1. This provides an exceptionally attractive display of the article.

To remove the article from the package it is simply necessary to pull outwardly the panel sections 26 and 27 and open the top of the carton, as shown in FIG. 2. The slide carrying the article may then be readily withdrawn from the carton and the retainer 38 with its enclosed product may be removed from the slide. By then withdrawing the member 4l from the retainer, the product is accessible for removal from the retainer.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that certain of the advantages of the invention may be obtained with various modifications of the construction shown. Thus the transparent retaining member for the product may be replaced by other retaining means which may not enclose the product but will hold it in proper position on the slide member. Also the shape of various portions of the several components of the package may be varied to provide a desirable window display effect of the character described, for products of different contours.

What is claimed is:

l. An article packaging assembly which comprises means forming a carton having front, back, top, bottom and side panels, the front panel having an opening through which the article may be viewed, means forming an article retaining slide within said carton, means carried by said slide means for retaining the article thereon, said slide means having a panel provided with an opening through which said article extends, and panel sections carried by at least one of said carton and slide means providing a passage that is completely enclosed on its top, bottom, and sides, said panel sections extending forwardly at an obtuse angle from said panel of said slide means to provide said passage with walls that diverge in the direction from said panel of said Slide means to the opening in the front panel of said carton means.

2. An article packaging assembly of the character set forth in claim 1 in which said slide means has integrally connected therewith a plurality of said panel sections, and tab members connected with said last mentioned panel sections adapted to engage the inner face of the front panel of said carton means.

3. An article packaging assembly which comprises means forming a carton having front, back, top, bottom and side panels, the front panel having an opening aliases through which the article may be viewed, means forming an article retaining slide within said carton, means carried by said slide means for retaining the article thereon, and panel sections carried by said carton and slide forming means providing a converging passage completely enclosed on its top, bottom and sides and extending from the boundary of said opening in said front panel toward the rear panel of said carton means, two of said panel sections being integrally connected with said carton means at opposite sides of said article, and two other of said panel sections being integrally connected with said slide means at opposite sides of said article which extend transversely of said rst mentioned sides of said article, the article carried by said slide means projecting into said passage from the rearward, smaller cross-section and 15 thereof.

4. In an article packaging assembly of the character set forth in claim 3, said panel sections connected with said carton means and said slide means, respectively, extending in converging planes which define a passageway of substantially rectangular cross-section in planes perpendicular to the axis of said passageway.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,157,954 Gould May 9, 1939 2,617,577 Tardiff NOV. 1l, 1952 2,827,219 Sparks Mar. 18, 1958 2,884,127 Neary Apr. 28, 1959 2,946,433 Hennessey July 26, 1960 2,975,889 Brown Mar. 21, 1961 3,017,018 Price Jan. 16, 1962 

1. AN ARTICLE PACKAGING ASSEMBLY WHICH COMPRISES MEANS FORMING A CARTON HAVING FRONT, BACK, TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE PANELS, THE FRONT PANEL HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE ARTICLE MAY BE VIEWED, MEANS FORMING AN ARTICLE RETAINING SLIDE WITHIN SAID CARTON, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SLIDE MEANS FOR RETAINING THE ARTICLE THEREON, SAID SLIDE MEANS HAVING A PANEL PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID ARTICLE EXTENDS, AND PANEL SECTIONS CARRIED BY AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CARTON AND SLIDE MEANS PROVIDING A PASSAGE THAT IS COMPLETELY ENCLOSED ON ITS TOP, BOTTOM, AND SIDES, SAID PANEL SECTIONS EXTENDING FORWARDLY AT AN OBTUSE ANGLE FROM SAID PANEL OF SAID SLIDE MEANS TO PROVIDE SAID PASSAGE WITH WALLS THAT DIVERGE IN THE DIRECTION 